Plastic magazine for photosensitive sheet materials

ABSTRACT

A plastic magazine for photosensitive sheet materials, comprising a bottom, four side walls inclined inwardly toward the bottom and on the interior of each of the side walls a rib having an interior edge substantially normal to the bottom.

ll nited States Patent 11 1 Lukaschewitz et al.

]March 20, 1973 PLASTIC MAGAZINE FOR PHOTOSENSITIVE SHEET MATERIALS .all of Germany [73] Assignee: Veb Filmfabrik Wolfen Fotoehemisches Kombind, Wolfen, Germany [22] Filed: Nov. 17, 1970 21 Appl. Nos 90,236

[52] U.S..Cl ..220/41, 206/62 R, 220/72 [51] Int. Cl. ..B65 d 43/12 [58] Field of Search ..220/72, 41, 97 R, 97 D; 206/62 R, 74

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,232,113 7/1917 Soren ..220/41 2,181,150 11/1939 Pittenger ...220/72 X 2,339,763 1/1944 Calleson et a1. ..220/70 X 2,813,656 11/1957 Anderson ..220/97 D 3,127,698 4/1964 Smithers 220/97 R X 3,283,943 1 1/1966 Cargnelutti ..220/97 3,311,257 3/1967 Puente ..220/72 X 3,440,988 4/1969 Bremer ..220/97 R X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Primary Examiner-Leonard Summer Assistant Examiner-James R. Garrett Att0rney-Nolte and Nolte', Edward B. Hunter and W.

Saxton Seward [5 7] ABSTRACT A plastic magazine for photosensitive sheet materials, comprising a bottom, four side walls inclined inwardly toward the bottom and on the interior of each of the side walls a rib having an interior edge substantially normal to the bottom.

7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PLASTIC MAGAZINE FOR PHOTOSENSITIVIE SHEET MATERIALS The invention relates to a magazine of a plastic for photosensitive sheet materials, such as sheet film, photographic paper and the like.

Photographic sheet film and papers are packed at present in cartons or boxes after they have been wrapped, heat-sealed or otherwise sealed in paper or foil material. This type of packaging is very expensive as far as the packaging material is concerned and not very suitable for automating the packaging operation.

Besides, such packages can be opened only manually.

Furthermore, the inserted sheet material can be removed from the packaging only by hand. This prevents automatic processing of the material without manual transfer to a magazine.

It is an object of the invention to provide a packaging which does not have these disadvantages and which permits highly efficient packaging of these sheets by means of assembly line production.

According to the invention, there is provided packaging in the form of a magazine which can be produced in the packaging plant itself and which permits automatic charging and removal of the sheet material. The magazine receives each sheet and secures it against displacement in all directions. The magazines of the invention may be readily fabricated from thermoplastic sheets by the deep drawing method (sometimes referred to simply as drawing).

More specifically, according to the invention, in-

wardly protruding ribs are provided on the interior of the side walls of the magazine, the inner edges of which ribs are perpendicular to the base or bottom of the magazine. Preferably, the interior of the magazine bottom has inwardly protruding ribs, the plane of the upper level of which intersects the inner edges of the ribs provided on the side walls of the magazine at a point at which the latter ribs extend perpendicularly to the base of the magazine. Preferably the magazine bottom is curved inwardly and the transition between the magazine bottom and the side walls of the magazine is in the form of a bead. The magazine is preferably closed by means of a cover, which can be heat-sealed, pasted or otherwise sealed on.

According to the invention, the edge of the magazine on all four sides may be approximately parallel to the base of the magazine and may be formed with an inward bend of about 180 either on three or on two opposite sides, each bent edge thus forming a groove. Corresponding edges of the cover are slid into the grooves and at least one edge of the cover which is not engaged by a groove is bent downwardly about 180 around the unbent corresponding edge of the magazine.

Alternatively, the coveredge may be formed with a downward bend of about 180 on three sides, each forming a groove receiving a corresponding edge of the magazine, the magazine border being bent upwardly by about 180 on the fourth side and thus embracing the cover edge on this side. It is of particular advantage that the inside of the cover be provided with an inwardly protruding central zone defined by an annular crimp, the bottom plane of which zone intersects the ribs of the sidewalls of the magazine at points at which the inner edges of those ribs are perpendicular to the base of the magazine. Finally, it is of advantage that the ribs on the side walls of the magazine have an offset in cross section taken parallel to the base of the magazine.

The invention will now be described more fully by reference to several specific embodiments, as illustrated in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation of a magazine according to the invention in cross-section;

FIG. 2 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 but of another magazine according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional elevation of the magazine of FIG. 2 taken on a plane normal to the plane of FIG.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are views corresponding to FIG. 1 but each of another embodiment of a magazine according to the invention; and

FIG. 6 is a detail in cross-section of another magazine of the invention and in a processing apparatus.

The magazine comprises a deep drawn thermoplastic sheet. In order to ensure light-tightness, a blackcolored foil is used, for example. Uniform internal sizing of the magazine from top to bottom by the provision of vertical side walls is not possible, because the deep drawing tool must be tapered in order to permit removal. This disadvantage is avoided by providing on the side walls ribs 1 (FIGS. 1 to S) which are tapered toward the bottom, but inner edges 20 of which are perpendicular to base 21 of the magazine. Since these are only perpendicular lines and not perpendicular surfaces, removal of the magazine from the tool is readily effected. If each side wall of the magazine contains at least one such rib 1, the photosensitive sheets can be so inserted that they are not displaced laterally relative to each other.

The edges between faces of molded parts produced by deep drawing are not sharp, but have a radius, so that the bottom photosensitive sheet 22 would not rest on the bottom of the magazine. This problem can be overcome in two ways. As shown in FIG. 1, one solution is to provide on the outer border of the magazine bottom an outwardly protruding annular bead 3 so that there is defined a central supporting portion 4 for the sheets 22 (only the bottom one of which is illustrated), the supporting portion 4 being at least as high as bottom 5 of the perpendicular edge 20 of each rib 1. As can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3, the same effect can be achieved if the magazine bottom 9 is so designed that it has two or more inwardly protruding ribs 6, the uppermost plane or the plane tangential to the uppermost portion of which is at least as high as the bottom 5 of the perpendicular edge 20 of each rib 1.

An exact holding of the top ones of the sheets 22 is achieved by provision of an annular crimp 8 on cover 7. There is thus defined on the cover '7 a downwardly protruding central zone the bottom of which is slightly lower than the top of the side walls of the magazine and, more specifically, no higher than the plane of the lower extremities of the rounded corners 20a of the ribs l. The plane of the underside of the cover 7 intersects the ribs 1 at the perpendicular edges 20 thereof. The same effect can be achieved if a cover sheet is placed on the sheets 22 the thickness of which cover sheet is at least equal to the radius of the rounded corners 20a.

Due to permissible manufacturing tolerances, the sheets 22 may not have a constant thickness from sheet to sheet. Nevertheless, the number of the sheets 22 packed in a magazine must be constant. The thickness of the sheet stack can thus vary within certain limits. On the other hand, it is necessary that the sheets 22 lie firmly in the magazine and have no play at the top and bottom. This problem may be solved according to the invention by providing that the magazine bottom 9 be curved inwardly in one direction, namely in the direction of the bearing ribs 6 arranged thereon (FIG. 2). The transition between the curved magazine bottom 9 and the side walls parallel to the length of the bearing ribs 6 is defined by a bead 10 having a large radius (FIG. 3). The curved magazine bottom forms thus an elastic element which yields to compensate for thickness differences among the sheet stacks.

The closing of the magazines can be effected in various ways, for example, by means of the cover 7 which may be pasted, heat-sealed or otherwise sealed or fastened on. The sheets 22 are removed by detaching or cutting or tearing open the cover 7. For the cover 7 can be used various materials, for example, flexible or stiff plastic foils or aluminum foils coated with plastic. but with a closure which is sealed on, the magazine cannot be closed again after it has been opened. In order to avoid this disadvantage, the magazine can be closed by a sliding cover. For example, the border of the magazine may be bent on two-opposite sides inwardly by 180 to form grooves 11 which embrace the magazine border 23 (FIG. 3). This way not only is the cover 7 held in position but a light-tight labyrinth is formed. In order to facilitate the removal of the cover 7 from its grooves 11, the bend of the cover edge 12 (F IG. 2) embracing the magazine border 23 is provided with a part 13 bent down by 90. To secure the magazine further, the fourth side of the magazine can be closed in a light-tight manner by an adhesive tape embracing the magazine border and the cover 7. In another embodiment according to the invention, the magazine border is bent upwardly on the last mentioned side by 180 to define a groove 14 embracing the cover edge 24 in a light-tight manner (FIG. 2). As can be seen from FIGS. 4 and 5, it is also possible to provide the U-shaped bends on the cover 7. The cover 7 in FIG. 4 is bent down in U-form by 180 on two opposite sides to form two grooves 15 which embrace the magazine border 23. In FIG. 5 the magazine border 23 is bent up by 180 in U-form on one of the two free sides to define a groove 16 which embraces the cover 7 to form a light-tight labyrinth. On the fourth side the cover edge 25 is bent down by 180 in U-form and thus defines a channel 17 embracing the magazine border 23.

When the magazine according to the invention is used in a conventional processing apparatus, it is necessary to fix its exact position in the magazine receiver of the apparatus. The magazines may be made of materials of various thicknesses, so that a dimensioning of the processing apparatus for a certain thickness magazine material is impossible. On the other hand, the relatively thin walled, deep drawn magazines of the invention are not suitable for continuous use in the apparatus, so that a thick walled magazine must be used for this purpose. In order to be able to use the deep drawn magazine according to the invention under the same connection conditions as the thick walled magazine, the ribs 1 must have a special form. Specifically, the ribs 1 must be adapted to receive stops 19 of the apparatus, as shown in FIG. 6. An offset 18 in cross section of the ribs 1 is engaged by the stops 19 of the magazine receiver of the apparatus. The distance between the inner edge 20 of the ribs 1 and the offset 18 corresponds to the wall thickness of the thick walled magazine of the apparatus.

The magazine according to the invention may receive loose sheets 22 or sheet stacks wrapped or sealed in a light-tight manner in a foil of paper, plastic or metal or some combination thereof.

While the invention has been described by reference to specific embodiments thereof, it is intended that the claims include within their scope also all other constructions within the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is: 1. A magazine of deep-drawn thermo-plastic material for photosensitive sheet materials, comprising a resilient bottom having peripheral downwardly projecting bead portions to space said bottom from any planar surface on which the magazine might rest, side walls generally upstanding around said bottom and with their lower edges connected to said bottom through said bead portions, and ribs on the side walls which have inner edges, vertical to the base plane of the magazine, down at least to the plane where a lowermost photosensitive sheet comes to rest on said bottom.

2. A magazine according to claim 1, in which each of the ribs is defined on the exterior of the magazine by a corresponding recess opening exteriorly of the side walls and each of the recesses is provided with an offset less deeply received into the magazine than the inner edge of the rib.

3. A magazine according to claim 1, wherein said inner edges are in the configuration of vertical lines.

4. A magazine according to claim 1, further comprising a cover fastened thereon.

5. A rectangular magazine according to claim 4, in which the upper extremity of three of the side walls is in the configuration of a groove extending in a plane substantially parallel to the bottom, said groove opening inwardly of the magazine, corresponding edges of the cover are received in said grooves, a free cover edge is in the configuration of a further groove extending in a plane substantially parallel to the bottom, said further groove opening inwardly of the magazine, and the corresponding side wall extremity is in the configuration of a flat border, substantially parallel to the bottom and received in said cover groove.

6. A magazine according to claim 4, in which the upper extremity of each of three of the side walls is in the configuration of a flat border substantially parallel to the bottom, each of a corresponding three edges of the cover is in the configuration of a groove extending in a plane substantially parallel to the bottom and opening inwardly of the magazine, each of the grooves receiving a corresponding border.

7. A magazine according to claim 4, in which the upper extremity said edge of each of the ribs is below the upper extremity of each corresponding side wall and the cover is shaped to define a central portion thereof protruding inwardly of the magazine to a plane intersecting said edges of the ribs. 

1. A magazine of deep-drawn thermo-plastic material for photosensitive sheet materials, comprising a resilient bottom having peripheral downwardly projecting bead portions to space said bottom from any planar surface on which the magazine might rest, side walls generally upstanding around said bottom and with their lower edges connected to said bottom through said bead portions, and ribs on the side walls which have inner edges, vertical to the base plane of the magazine, down at least to the plane where a lowermost photosensitive sheet comes to rest on said bottom.
 2. A magazine according to claim 1, in which each of the ribs is defined on the exterior of the magazine by a corresponding recess opening exteriorly of the side walls and each of the recesses is provided with an offset less deeply received into the magazine than the inner edge of the rib.
 3. A magazine according to claim 1, wherein said inner edges are in the configuration of vertical lines.
 4. A magazine according to claim 1, further comprising a cover fastened thereon.
 5. A rectangular magazine according to claim 4, in which the upper extremity of three of the side walls is in the configuration of a groove extending in a plane substantially parallel to the bottom, said groove opening inwardly of the magazine, corresponding edges of the cover are received in said grooves, a free cover edge is in the configuration of a further groove extending in a plane substantially parallel to the bottom, said further groove opening inwardly of the magazine, and the corresponding side wall extremity is in the configuration of a flat border, substantially parallel to the bottom and received in said cover groove.
 6. A magazine according to claim 4, in which the upper extremity of each of three of the side walls is in the configuration of a flat border substantially parallel to the bottom, each of a corresponding three edges of the cover is in the configuration of a groove extending in a plane substantially parallel to the bottom and opening inwardly of the magazine, each of the grooves receiving a corresponding border.
 7. A magazine according to claim 4, in which the upper extremity said edge of each of the ribs is below the upper extremity of each corresponding side wall and the cover is shaped to define a central portion thereof protruding inwardly of the magazine to a plane intersecting said edges of the ribs. 